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agesilaus's avatar
agesilaus
Explorer III
Dec 01, 2019

Converter kaput need to buy better one.

I'm fairly sure my converter is kaput. It will not charge my 6VX2 Batteries and I want to go to two banks of 6V batteries. I did work for our summer 7 week trip.

So how do you size a new converter. We have a 30amp system and want to do much more boondocking. Also I have 400W of solar panels not yet connected with a Victron controller.

Any brand recommendations? I think the current one is a Progressive.
  • You have enough generator to run a 100 amp or even higher amp charger.

    A. What do you mean by "two banks"? Is this just the usual 4 sixes in series/parallel you can charge all at once, or some other set- up that you can only do two at a time? If so, why?

    B. If getting ready to do more off-grid, why not an inverter-charger? They come with up to 150 amp chargers in them, 120 amp is common. You can do that.

    C. Many prefer separate charger and inverter (me too),so you can still get a 2000w inverter and a 100 or 120a charger. (Again I like the PowerMax versions of all those, but there are other choices.)

    BTW, nobody questioned whether your converter is indeed toast. Are you sure, or should we get into whether it is toast or not?
  • enblethen wrote:
    What is the amperage of your existing converter? What size wire goes from the converter to the batteries?

    A 45 amp would normally suffice! With larger wire you could go up.
    PD 9245 would be my choice.


    If you are looking at these I will suggest that you look at their new
    9200 series Modified Deck Mount

    These converter/chargers will deliver 14.8 volts during the boost phase of charging,much better for Trojan and others requiring a higher (14.8 VDC) boost or bulk voltage.
  • I'll get the make and model in the morning. I think the nameplate is on the back side of course. But I just bought a boroscope that should help there.

    My generator is a Champion 3500/4000 that we only had to run once last summer on a hot afternoon in ND. But we only stayed 2 or 3 days in one spot, we will be doing long stays next summer when we go semi-fulltime.
  • The RV's 30a has nothing to do with the converter size.

    The converter size in amps is related to the power output of your generator, measured in VA. A typical converter has 0.7 power factor.

    If your generator can run 1600w (VA) as its rating, then your input to the converter can be 1120 watts. Typical converter efficiency is 85% so output would be 952 watts. Output is in DC and you want 14.8v for those 6s, so 952/14.8= 64.3 amps. So you can have a 60 amp converter, but not a 75 amper unless you have more of a generator.

    I like the adjustable voltage you get with the PowerMax LK models so you can also crank it to 16.2v for equalizing the 6s every so often as , eg Trojan recommends. Nobody else makes a converter like that, and check out the price!

    https://www.boatandrvaccessories.com/products/powermax-pm3-60lk-12-volts-60-amp-power-converter-battery-charger-w-led-light

    You can do all four 6s at once with a 100 amp LK, but you need more like a "3000w" generator to run it. Maybe a 2500.
  • What is the amperage of your existing converter? What size wire goes from the converter to the batteries?

    A 45 amp would normally suffice! With larger wire you could go up.
    PD 9245 would be my choice.

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